


Once Upon A Time

by catap



Category: Kuroshitsuji | Black Butler
Genre: 2CT, baby phantomhive twins, crossposted from tumblr, undertaker has terrible eyesight
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-05
Updated: 2017-08-05
Packaged: 2018-12-11 07:18:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 619
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11709543
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/catap/pseuds/catap
Summary: Undertaker's eyesight is... really just awful.





	Once Upon A Time

**Author's Note:**

> Crossposted from http://undertaaker.tumblr.com/post/163812342631/once-upon-a-time

Nothing was out of the ordinary at the Phantomhive manor. Vincent and Rachel were out of town on business, and the Phantomhive boys had been left in the care of Tanaka and the other servants. This wasn't unusual, and Tanaka was almost a grandfather to them. "It makes me feel young again," Tanaka told Vincent once after the earl had expressed some concern.

It was a quiet afternoon, and Ciel and Astre Phantomhive were playing indoors. Whenever possible, they were inseprable. Today's project was a very large tower made out of blocks. Astre was putting on the final pieces as Ciel searched the room for any they might have missed, when they heard it--the click clack of heels on tile floor of the mansion.

In unison, their eyes widened with excitement and they abandoned the tower and ran out the door. They charge, full-tilt down the hallway, Ciel pulling ahead a bit, until "-- _oof_!"

"UNDY!" they cried in unison.

The tall, grey haired man had gotten knocked back a few steps when they'd run into him, but he laughed and regained his composure.

"Careful now," he said, picking up Astre. He took Ciel's hand and began walking back to the playroom. "How are my two favorite Phantomhive boys?"

"Good," said Ciel with a smile on his face. "We made a block tower and read books and later we're gonna go walk Sebastian and--"

"Sounds like you've had a busy day," Undertaker said, gently cutting the boy off. He was quite the chatterbox when he got going.

"How come you're here?" Astre asked, eyes wide. It was always an exciting day when Undertaker came; he liked to slip them sweets when nobody was looking. It was their secret, he said.

"Well," said Undertaker, setting the boy down and taking a seat on the floor near the block tower, "I told your daddy I'd check on you. And I thought I'd read you a story while I was here. Go pick one out."

Astre settled down next to Undertaker as his brother ran off to find a book of fairytales. "Here!" Ciel said proudly, coming back with a book. "Read this one!"

Ciel plopped down on the other side of Undertaker, and they both looked at him expectantly. "Alright," he said with a chuckle, "I _do_ have something for you." The mortician pulled out two hard candies from a pocket, and they quickly disappeared into the twins' mouths.

Undertaker opened the book and frowned. He squinted at the blobs on the page that he assumed were words. Sometimes he regretted giving up his specs. Now was wone of those times.

"Once upon a time," he started. _Always a safe bet_ , he thought. "Once upon a time..." his voice trailed off.

"Are you okay Undy?" Astre asked, sounding concerned.

Undertaker smiled at the boy. He squinted again. Moved his face slightly closer to the page. The words didn't magically become clear, so he did what he always did--he winged it and hoped for the best.

"Once upon a time, there were three little pigs who lived in three little houses--"

"Hey!" interruped Ciel. His bossy tone was vaguely reminiscent of his father. "That's not how the story goes!"

"Well," said the mortician, suppressing a laugh and handing the book over to the little earl. "You're both getting very big. Why don't _you_ read _me_ the story?"

Astre's face lit up. "Okay!" he said eagerly. "You read this page," he said to Ciel, pointing at the half of the book closest to him, "and I'll read these pages!"

Ciel sat up straight and cleared his throat. He put on his most adult voice.

"Once upon a time, there were three bears...”


End file.
